Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1887-05-26
MAKE YOUR THREAD FIRM.

The Importance of Doing Nothing by
HaIves-fIave No Flaw in Your Work
Why Captain Was Poisoned.
If we could only learn early in life
that every thing we do is of impor-
lance! that there are really no tribes!
Ii we would only learn that every
thing we do results in something that
Is either good or i'll! that to slight our
work is to bring disaster or loss or dis
grace! In book. recently published. is
the following story told by the mother
OF two young girls. the story of whose
struggles will help many girls and
boys into a truer life. The mother
tells the story in the twilight. after
each girl has given an account of her
days experience:
My fathers last voyage was an unusually
long one. but at last we could watch for his re-
turn. Only my mother and 1, this time, for
Richard was with him; so We had double rea-
son to look for the ship. can remember how
excited was for my father was very good to
me, and always kept one corner of hrs big sea-
chest for me.
The boys in Salem used to watch on the
wharf whenever ship was expected and the
minute it came in sight would run to the houses
OF those on board with the news. II it were a
sailors w!!e, She gave m quarter; liza
mates, half; but from tie captains wife a
whole dollar was expected. One morning-we
were at breakfast-a boy came running in to
tell US that the brig CIPHER was in sight. He
seemed to be in great hurry, but that we did
not think OF TIL afterward
Ny mother and / took an old glass Of fathers
and went up to the attic. where we had good
view of the harbOr. Mother held the glass a
long while, and grew suddenly pale Then she
said. short and quick: Take the glass. Your
eyes are younger than mine. Do you see the
fa5E So I looked, an did see it. Oh
MOTHER, cried, Its at half-mast- For we
were sailors wife and daughter, and We knew
what it meant. 1t said-that the captain was
dead
IL was so. Bye-and-bye we learn all about it.
Partly from the mate; partly. but not till long
a1terward and by degrees, from Richard. 1t
was on the return voyage. He was poisoned.
They were trading for ivory on the African
coast He had gone ashore with Richard, to
settle matters with the native chief who was
very friendly and offered them, as a farewell
banquet. some rice and a drink Of cocoanut
milk. The poison was in one of them. Richard
did not like the native style Of cooking, and,
boy-like. would not eat. They set sail but were
only few hours OF when my father was taken
sick and died. Afterward 1t was discovered that
the captain OF the last ship that had traded
there had cheated them. believe there we're
no holes in the colored beads that traders use
to bargain for ivory and gold dust, and, to the
natives all white men were alike
They buried him there at sea. Richard tried
To fling himself in, too and it was only by main
force that the sailors prevented him. He was
only just through school, but he had begged so
hard to go on the voyage that father yielded |
For generations the men of our family had beeu
sea-captaIns; but my brother never set foot on |
a ship again.
haven't told you very cheerful story, Kitty |
I'm afraid it hasn't improved matters much |
and mine hasn't such an excellent moral as had /
yours and Marion's.
Il can pick one out" said Marion thought |
fully. IF some manufacturer had not neglect. |
cd to punch holes in those beads, your father |!
wouldn't have been murdered. nor your mother |
have died, nor you have been poor and had to |
earn your own living. Oh. mother, do you sup
pose every single glass bead in the world makes |
q difYerence!'
Il think that every thread forms a part And |
II there is weak place in the woof it is fatally
apt to strike ag linst the weak spot in the warp |
We can not see or know what is being woven |
But this We do know-that it concerns US to |
make our own thread firm and strong. and Just
as fine as ever it may be-
Recently there was a terrible rail-
road accident on one of the Massachu-
sets roads. The cause of the accident
is supposed to be due to flaw in one
of the trusses of the bridge; imperfec-
ton in the truss when put into the
bridge, or break that has
been overlooked by the inspectors
of the road. The result is the death of
persons outright and
many severely injured. Somebody
did not make their thread firm and
strong. Christian Union.